Car journal lubricator



Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES FRED RADGLIFFE, OF SCRANTON,PENId'SYLVANIA CAR JOURNAL LUBRICATOB Application filed April 1, 1929.Serial No. 351,556.

The object of the invention is to provide an appliance parioularlyadapted as a means of providing a constant lubricant supply for thejournals when used in connection with railway cars, whether they be inurban, interurban, or fast and heavy railway service; to provide aconstruction of this kind that provides for working the lubricant by itsproper conservation, until its lubricating properties are exhausted,thus making for high economy and efliciency and to provide aconstruction of this nature which is of simple form and thereforesusceptible of cheap manufacture and easy application ,to the presentform of rolling stock without any modification of the axles or journalboxes thereof.

With this object in view the invention consists in a construction andcombination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing a car journal and axle, the viewbeing taken in the plane of the axis of the journal.

Fi re 2 is a sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 22 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of Figure 1, but partly broken away.

In the application of the invention to practice, no modification isrequired in the journal 10 of the axis 11 or in the journal box 12, butthe journal bearing 14 which is of the journal form is bored axially toprovide a longitudinal channel 15. It is likewise drilled to provideducts 16 communicating with the channel 15 and opening on the journalface of the hearing, so that any lubricant entering the channel 15 willfind its way on to the journal 10.

In practice, it is necessary that the ducts 16 be just large enough tosupply oil to the journal in the quantity needed and in practice it ihas been found that ducts one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter providethe necessary supply for cars in urban service, while their diametersshould be twice this or two-sixteenths for fast and heavy railwayservice.

The lubricant is admitted to the channel 15 through a flexible tubularconductor 17 coupled to the bearing 14 as indicated at 18, thisconductor being connected withasu plytank 19 at the bottom of the latterto w ich it is connected by means of a union 20 and inter posed cook 21by means of the latter of which the rate of supply to the channel may becontrolled or cut off, depending upon the position in which the cock isset.

A supply tank 19 may be provided for each journal and suspended from thecar body or some appropriate part of the running gear adjacent thejournal to be supplied, as practice may dictate, or a single tank may beemployed for supplying the several journals of each car, it beingnecessary only, in the latter plan, that a separate tube 17 be run fromthe tank to each bearing.

A follower plate 22 is disposed in embrae ing relation to the journal 10diametrically opposite the bearin 14, this follower plate beingdepressed at the center portion as indi- 79 cated at 28, and a shield orfabric wiper 24: lies in the follower plate, filling the depres sion 23thereof. The wiper is held yieldingly in contact with the journal 10 bymeans of the follower plate supporting elements 25 which, in the formillustrated are in the form of spiral s rings of which the terminals areformed with hooks 26 detachably engaged with eyes 27 on the lower edgeof the bearing 14. The oil or lubricant which finds its way 30 to thejournal 10 finally saturates the wiper and the journal is thus kepteffectively lubrieated, and as long as the oil is active and providesgood lubrication, its presence on the journal retards the flow throughthe ducts 16. As the lubricating properties of the oil on the journalarelost with a tendency of the journal surface to dry, the oil in thechannel 15 flows more freely through the ducts. Thus as the cock 21 hasbeen set to provide the W proper initial flow into the channel 14, thesupply to the journal is thereafter automatically taken care of.

The depression of the follower plate at the center portion provides forthe reception of 95 a wad of the fabric wiper and thus as a reservoir towhich excess lubricant may be directed to keep the wiper'thoroughlysaturated. By this means, excess lubricant is not 7 carried over theside edges of the follower plate, as would be the case were thedepressed portion not provided.

For investigation of the condition of the journal, it is frequentlynecessary to remove the follower plate and this may be readily donewithout detaching the springs 25, it being only necessary to slide thefollower plate out of the loops formed by the springs. In

the replacement of a new spring, it is a comparatively easy matter toengage it with the eyes 27 plate, thereafter forcing the latter inbetween the journal and the springs. Obviously the tank may be vented topermit the ready flow of the oil therefrom.

The invention having been described what claimed as new and useful is:

In combination with a car journal and bearing therefor, a supply tank invalved communication with the bearing, and a follower plate disposedvdiametrically opposite to the bearing and yieldingly impelled towardthe j0urnal,.the follower plate being provided with a mat interposedbetween it and the journal, and having a depressed portion at the centerfilled with the material of the mat. In testimony whereof he afiixes hissignature. v

FRED RADCLIFFE.

prior to the insertion of the follower

